RIOT CONTROL WITHOUT BLOODSHED - THE SOFT/STING RING AIRFOIL GRENADE

• NCJ Number: 47830
• Author(s): D T BRENNAN
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 61 pages
• Corporate Author: Governmental Research Institute
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A FEASIBILITY REPORT ON A NONLETHAL CROWD CONTROL DEVICE DEVELOPED BY THE U.S. ARMY IS PRESENTED.

Abstract

THE REPORT OPENS WITH A GENERAL DISCUSSION OF THE THREAT POSED BY RIOTING AND OF THE NEED FOR POLICE TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND FLEXIBLY, WITH NONLETHAL WEAPONS TO SUBLETHAL THREATS TO PUBLIC ORDER FLEXIBLY. THE U.S. ARMY'S EXPERIENCES WITH CROWD CONTROL DEVICES AND ITS DEVELOPMENT OF A LOW-HAZARD PROJECTILE SYSTEM ARE DESCRIBED. THE ARMY'S RING AIRFOIL GRENADE (RAG) SYSTEM CONSISTS OF A LAUNCHER/ADAPTER, A SOFT/STING RING AIRFOIL GRENADE PROJECTILE THAT CAUSES PAIN COMPARABLE TO A BOXER'S JAB, AND A SECOND PROJECTILE THAT ALSO RELEASES TEAR GAS. THE PROJECTILES CAN BE FIRED AT POINT BLANK RANGE WITHOUT AFFECTING THEIR LIMITED 'STINGING' ACTION. POLICE INTEREST IN THE RAG SYSTEM IS DESCRIBED, AND CONCLUSIONS REGARDING THE ADAPTATION OF THE RAG SYSTEM FOR POLICE USE ARE OFFERED. ARMY-ASSISTED FIELD TESTING OF THE RAG SYSTEM BY SELECTED POLICE AGENCIES IS RECOMMENDED. ILLUSTRATIONS AND DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE RAG SYSTEM, INFORMATION ON ARMY TESTS, AND A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR A MULTISHOT, HAND-HELD VERSION OF THE RAG LAUNCHER ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)